


can't face this life alone

by sweetillusion



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Affection, Anal Sex, Body Worship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, M/M, Praise Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-24 08:09:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17700647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetillusion/pseuds/sweetillusion
Summary: The reviews of the movie haven’t been kind. Some of them are downright scathing. The articles that poke fun of Rami’s appearance are the worst, even more so when they include snide comments about his eyes.They're the type of reviews that cause Rami to curl in on himself, distraught and distressed, making Joe insistent on reminding him just how much he's loved and cherished.





	can't face this life alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GloriousGoblinQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GloriousGoblinQueen/gifts).



> Happy Chocolate Box, GloriousGoblinQueen! I was thrilled to match with you on this exchange because we share so many fandoms and you had some great prompts!
> 
> There are quite a few articles and interviews out there about Rami being self-conscious about his looks, so I figured that would fit perfectly with your insecurity/body worship prompt.

They’re supposed to be celebrating.

 _Bohemian Rhapsody_ has passed the $800M mark at the global box office, to say nothing of the multitude of award nominations it’s been accruing over the past month. The movie has been an unimaginable triumph, and Joe has a feeling that success will carry over into awards season.

Even if the movie doesn’t end up winning any awards, Rami deserves all the praise he’s been earning. He put his heart and soul into his performance, and Joe’s beyond thrilled that Rami is finally receiving the recognition he deserves. It’s been a long time coming.

He knows Rami is humbled by the success of the movie and even more honored by the love he’s been getting from the fans and his peers. It’s the response from the critics that hurts him the most. 

The reviews haven’t been kind. Some of them are downright scathing. It hurts, of course, because they all worked so hard on the movie and are proud of the finished product. But Joe’s been in the industry long enough to know that critics' opinions don’t always make or break a movie. 

They’re both capable of dealing with criticism, but Joe takes personal offense to the reviews that poke fun of Rami’s appearance. There’s been more than a few of those types of reviews, and some of the comments on the offending articles are just as horrible as the articles themselves, if not worse. They’re cruel and vicious, written by people who enjoy degrading others while they hide behind the anonymity of the internet. 

Joe has a feeling that it’s one of these articles that’s currently bothering Rami. 

They’d had plans to go out for a nice dinner tonight to celebrate the movie’s end of the year milestones and many award nominations. But Joe had come back to their shared apartment to find Rami curled up on the sofa in their living room, eyes glued to his laptop and a distraught expression on his face. It’s a situation that Joe is unfortunately all too familiar with, even more so since the movie premiered.

He sighs, watching Rami from the doorway. Several minutes pass before Rami is even aware of his presence, and he startles when he looks up from the laptop and finds Joe watching him. He attempts a smile, but it’s weak and doesn’t reach his eyes.

Joe settles onto the sofa next to him, placing a hand on Rami’s thigh. “You need to stop reading those articles. They’re trash.”

“You don’t even know what I’m reading,” Rami insists, though he doesn’t protest when Joe pulls the laptop from his hands.

Joe glances at the article on the screen and sees a few lines making fun of Rami’s appearance, including several snide remarks about his eyes. He winces.

Joe knows Rami has always been sensitive about his eyes. He remembers the one director on _The Pacific_ who mocked Rami for his eyes, just as he remembers the way those comments had made Rami disappear into himself and the way he’d admitted later that it wasn’t the first time he’d heard such taunts. Joe disliked how upset it had made Rami then, and he dislikes that’s it’s still happening all these years later.

“Don’t listen to them,” he says, shutting the laptop and placing it on a side table. “They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“It’s not the first time someone has said it.” There’s a thread of dismay and resigned acceptance in his voice, and it pulls at Joe’s heartstrings. “We both know I’m not considered a typical leading man because of the way I look.”

It’s an old insecurity, one that comes up whenever someone makes a derisive comment about Rami’s features. Joe unreservedly hates anyone who has ever made Rami feel less than perfect or who has made him feel unattractive and unwanted.

Rami slumps down into the sofa cushions, drawing his knees up to his chest as he looks away. He looks so defeated and upset. 

“Come on, look at me,” Joe coaxes, running a hand along Rami’s jawline. Rami’s gaze flits to him, his eyes wary. Joe cups the back of Rami’s neck and draws him in for a kiss, keeping it soft and gentle. Rami sighs against his mouth, relaxing into Joe’s touch.

“Your eyes are beautiful,” Joe says. He places a kiss at the corner of Rami’s right eye, then trails a string of kisses over the bridge of his nose until he can place a matching kiss underneath Rami’s other eye. “Everything about you is beautiful.”

He cups Rami’s face in his hand, stroking his cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. “The first thing I noticed about you was your eyes,” Joe says. “When I walked into that audition for _The Pacific_ all I could focus on was how gorgeous you were.”

__“Yeah?” Rami says, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “First thing I noticed about you was your hair.”_ _

__Joe laughs as he places a kiss beneath Rami’s ear. “I do have a great hair,” he agrees._ _

__He doesn't mention that he also enjoys Rami's hair, partially because he's pretty sure Rami is already aware of it. Instead, he slides a hand up the back of Rami’s neck until his fingers tangle in his hair. Rami’s hair has grown out since filming ended, and it’s long enough now that Joe can card his fingers through the soft curls. They're messy and unstyled, and Joe pets at Rami's hair for awhile, smiling when Rami leans into the touch and goes almost limp with pleasure.__

____

____

He eventually pulls at Rami’s hair to get his attention, tipping his head back so Joe can lean in and press a kiss to the underside of Rami’s jaw. He presses another kiss on Rami’s neck before moving to do the same on his collarbone. He nips at the skin there, sucking a mark that looks angry and red when he pulls away. 

___Good_ , he thinks smugly. He wants to litter a series of love bites across Rami's body so that when he looks in the mirror he's reminded not only of this moment, but of how attractive Joe finds him._ _

__“Every part of you is stunning. You’re brilliant and talented, and you deserve every good thing that’s come your way,” he says. He glances at Rami, feeling a surge of affection and love bubble up inside him. He pushes Rami's hair back from his forehead, dragging the backs of his fingers tenderly down the contours of Rami's face. “I’d do anything for you, you know.”_ _

__Rami blinks up at him, a flash of uncertainty on his face. “Joe," he begins, hesitantly, "you don’t have to–”_ _

__Joe cuts him off with a firm kiss. “I want to,” he says._ _

__He kisses him again, long and deep and sweet. He takes Rami’s hand, tangling their fingers together as he helps him up from the sofa. Rami sways into him, letting Joe pull him close with an arm around his waist._ _

__“I’m gonna take care of you tonight,” Joe says as he leads them into the bedroom. “I'll spend all night making you feel good if that's what it takes for you to believe me when I say you're beautiful.”_ _

__

__

__He works Rami open slowly, teasing him with one finger and then another. When he slips in a third, Rami whines deep in his throat and tries to push back against his hand._ _

__“Relax,” Joe says, keeping his voice low and gentle. “I need you to relax for me, okay?”_ _

__Joe brushes a kiss across the curve of Rami’s hip, nipping and mouthing at the skin until he leaves a mark to match the one on Rami’s collarbone. He presses the fingers of his free hand to the mark after, grinning when it makes Rami let out a choked gasp._ _

__“You’re doing so well,” Joe says. He pushes his fingers in a little further, crooking them in a way that makes Rami groan his name._ _

_"Joe, come on. I'm ready," Rami says._

__“Soon,” Joe promises._ _

__He places a hand on Rami’s side when he does slide his fingers out, murmuring quiet words of encouragement. Rami sighs at the loss of contact and Joe leans in to kiss the back of his thigh in apology._ _

__He strokes his fingers lightly over the smooth skin of Rami's thighs and ass, following the path with a series of kisses. He continues to lavish attention on the dip of Rami’s lower back and the jut of his hipbones before moving up the line of his spine. He keeps his kisses soft and light, interspersing them with words of appreciation that make Rami shiver with anticipation. Rami always responds so well to praise, so eager and willing to soak up any nice thing Joe says about him._ _

__Joe places a final kiss on the back of Rami’s neck before moving away to reach for the lube he had set aside earlier. He keeps one hand on Rami’s lower back, a small sign of reassurance that Rami is still the primary focus of his attention. Rami peers at him from over his shoulder, his eyes already glassy with need as he watches Joe pour lube onto his cock._ _

__Rami is pliant as Joe maneuvers them into a better position, rearranging them so that he’s lying back against the pillows with Rami settled in his lap. His cock rests against the swell of Rami’s ass and he bites back a groan when Rami back rubs against it._ _

__“Hurry up,” Rami demands, voice breathless with desire._ _

__“Be patient,” Joe chides. He sets his hands on Rami’s hips, urging him to raise himself upwards._ _

__Rami bites down on his lower lip when he feels Joe’s cock brush against his hole. He eases himself onto Joe’s cock slowly, releasing a low whimper when the head of Joe's cock slips past his rim._ _

__“Just like that,” Joe murmurs. “You’re doing such a good job. I can’t wait to be inside you. You’re going to feel amazing.”_ _

__Rami sighs in pleasure at the praise as he takes another inch of Joe’s cock. He’s panting by the time Joe’s cock is fully inside him, and he braces his hands against Joe’s chest, fingers curling over the taut planes of his stomach._ _

__“You look so good like this,” Joe says. “Absolutely beautiful.”_ _

__Rami is so hot and tight, and Joe can’t help the moan that comes out when he thrusts his hips up. It causes Rami to clench around him. “Oh,” he breathes out, his voice catching slightly. “Joe, please. More.”_ _

__Joe rolls his hips again, and Rami quickly matches the pace he sets, rocking in time with his thrusts. The way Rami moves on top of him is almost obscene, letting out a series of tiny, desperate whines whenever he grinds down in an effort to try and take Joe deeper inside. After one particularly rough thrust, his eyes flutter shut and he tips his head back, displaying the long column of his throat._ _

__“Look at me,” Joe says, digging his fingers into the skin of Rami’s hip to get his attention. “I want to see those pretty eyes of yours.”_ _

__Rami shivers, and when he looks down at Joe, his pupils are blown wide. His mouth is parted, red and swollen from where he’s been biting it, and his hair is damp with sweat, his curls falling onto his forehead. He looks utterly wrecked and blissed out as he keeps his eyes trained on Joe’s face. Joe has never seen a more gorgeous sight._ _

__“There you are,” Joe murmurs. He fumbles for Rami’s hand, twining their fingers together and squeezing gently. “Such a precious, sweet thing. I love you so much. More than anything else in this world.”_ _

__Rami keens, a needy and desperate sound that makes Joe’s cock twitch. There’s something heartbreakingly tender and awestruck in his expression, as if he can’t believe Joe is lavishing so much attention on him._ _

__“You feel amazing,” Joe says, bringing their entwined hands up to circle Rami’s cock where it rests heavy and hard against his stomach. He gives it a leisurely stroke._ _

__“Please,” Rami says, straining as he jerks against the hand around his cock. Joe knows Rami is close by the way his legs start to tremble and the way his breathing starts to grow erratic. It doesn’t take long for him to come, spurting hot and wet against his stomach and over Joe’s hand._ _

__He slumps forward against Joe’s chest, boneless and breathless, letting out small whimpers as Joe keeps fucking into him. Joe tangles his fingers in Rami’s hair and pulls him into a messy, rough kiss. He gasps into Rami’s mouth as he gives a final thrust and comes, spilling inside him._ _

__He rubs Rami’s back soothingly afterwards, ghosting his fingers over his sweat-slicked skin as they bask in the afterglow. Rami nuzzles against Joe’s neck, pressing open mouthed kisses against his throat and jaw._ _

__“You really are breathtakingly beautiful,” Joe says, burying his face in Rami’s hair. Rami sighs contentedly and snuggles closer against his chest. “I’m so proud of everything you’ve accomplished.”_ _

__“I know you are,” Rami says softly. “Thank you for everything.”_ _

__“I hope you’ll believe me now when I tell you those articles are worthless,” Joe says, voice dangerously close to sounding petulant. “I’m almost insulted that you’re so willing to listen to whatever some bitter critic says.”_ _

__Rami laughs. “If it happens again, I trust you’ll be here to show me the error of my ways,” he says, and his voice is so coy and fond that it makes Joe smile automatically._ _

__“Of course,” he says, pressing a kiss to the top of Rami’s head. “I’ll always give you whatever you need.”_ _


End file.
